Gun Owner Groups File Lawsuit Against Maryland Gun Law
OutdoorHub Reporters 09.27.13
On Thursday several Second Amendment-advocate groups filed a federal lawsuit against Maryland’s new gun law, which is slated to take effect on October 1. The lawsuit is asking for an injunction against the law before that time.
According to Fox News, the plaintiffs include the Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore (AGC), the Maryland Licensed Firearms Dealers Association, the Maryland State Rifle and Pistol Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), and several other groups.
Governor Martin O’Malley signed the law in May of this year, bringing Maryland’s firearm restrictions in line with states like New York, Colorado, and Connecticut, which all passed new gun control laws in the wake of the Newtown shooting. The new Maryland law bans over 40 “assault weapons,” prohibits the sale of any magazines capable of carrying more than 10 rounds, and requires handgun buyers to submit to fingerprint licensing. Together, these restrictions are being called unconstitutional by gun rights activists.
“Together we are drawing a line in the sand where Maryland’s gun control agenda tramples the fundamental individual right to defend oneself and [one’s] family in the home,” the AGC’s legislative vice president, John Josselyn, said in a statement.
Supporters of the law deny that it violates the Second Amendment and believe that the federal court will deny the injunction.
“We are confident that the resulting legislation is constitutional and legally defensible,” state Attorney General Douglas Gansler wrote in a letter to Governor O’Malley.
“The vast majority of Marylanders support these common-sense efforts to reduce gun violence,” Samantha Kappalman, a spokesperson for O’Malley, told The Baltimore Sun. “The new law will take effect on Tuesday, and it will make families safer.”
As October 1 approaches, many gun shops in Maryland are reporting increased sales as customers stock up on items that soon will no longer be available. You can read about the sales surge here.
